"Wonderful Tonight" | ||||
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SinglebyEric Clapton | ||||
from the album Slowhand | ||||
B-side | "Peaches and Diesel" | |||
Released | 10 March 1978 (1978-03-10)[1] | |||
Recorded | May 1977 | |||
Genre | Soft rock | |||
Length | 3:45 | |||
Label | RSO | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eric Clapton | |||
Producer(s) | Glyn Johns | |||
Eric Clapton singles chronology | ||||
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"Wonderful Tonight" is a ballad written by Eric Clapton. It was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand which is his most popular album. Clapton wrote the song on his 1974 Martin D-28 guitar about Pattie Boyd.[2] The female vocal harmonies on the song are provided by Marcella Detroit (then Marcy Levy) and Yvonne Elliman. The song is his most popular download on Spotify with more than 480,000,000 streams.[3]
On 7 September 1976, Clapton wrote "Wonderful Tonight" for Boyd while waiting for her to get ready to attend Paul and Linda McCartney's annual Buddy Holly party. The song is mentioned in her autobiographical book Wonderful Today.
Billboard described "Wonderful Tonight" as "perhaps Clapton's prettiest and mellowest love ballad in some time."[4] Billboard particularly praised Clapton's guitar playing during the interludes.[4] Cash Box said that『Eric’s singing is superbly understated; the guitar work is simple and evocative』and praised "the gentle beat and organ accompaniment."[5] Record World called it a "light, pretty ballad from [the album] that should also move quickly up the charts" and praised Clapton's singing."[6]
SONG | Equivalent Album Sales | Rank |
---|---|---|
Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) | 15.6 million | 86 |
Yesterday (Beatles) | 13.4 million | 137 |
Help (Beatles) | 9.3 million | 272 |
Norwegian Wood (Beatles) | 4.8 million | 688 |
Girl (Beatles) | 1.6 million | 2125 |
In 1988, Clapton appeared in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert as a guest guitarist for Dire Straits. The group became his backing musicians for a surprise performance of "Wonderful Tonight" during their set.
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[24] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[25] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Japan (RIAJ)[26] | Million | 1,000,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[28] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
"Wonderful Tonight" | ||||
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SinglebyDamage | ||||
from the album Forever | ||||
B-side | "I'm Ready" | |||
Released | 28 April 1997 (1997-04-28) | |||
Length | 4:01 | |||
Label | Big Life | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eric Clapton | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Mac | |||
Damage singles chronology | ||||
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British R&B group Damage covered "Wonderful Tonight" and released it as the fifth single from their debut studio album, Forever (1997), in April 1997. The single peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's highest-charting single. The song is prominently performed by Coreé Richards, with little vocal input from any other members of the band. The music video features the band performing the song in a recording studio with cut scenes of a girl preparing to go on a night out. The B-side, "I'm Ready", launched the career of Craig David, being the first song he had ever written to be released by himself or another artist.
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United Kingdom | 28 April 1997 |
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Big Life | [42] |
United States | 9 September 1997 |
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Critique | [43] |
"Wonderful Tonight" | ||||
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SinglebyDavid Kersh | ||||
from the album If I Never Stop Loving You | ||||
Released | 14 March 1998 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Label | Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eric Clapton | |||
Producer(s) | Pat McMakin | |||
David Kersh singles chronology | ||||
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"Wonderful Tonight" was covered by country singer David Kersh in 1998. His version went to number 29 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Chart (1998) | Peak position |
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Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[44] | 45 |
USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[45] | 29 |
The song was coveredbycountry music singer Butch Baker, whose rendition reached number 66 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1989.[46]
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). CHUM. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
'Wonderful Tonight' spent 17 weeks on the national french singles chart and peaked at number three. It was requested to be certified silver. The certification was awarded on the last week, 'Wonderful Tonight' charted in France.
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Singles |
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Related articles |
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